The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports. Founded on 22 September 1989 in Düsseldorf, West Germany, its mission is to "enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world". Furthermore, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values and to create sport opportunities for all persons with a disability, from beginner to elite level.
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February in Turin, Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the Winter Olympics, the first being in 1956 in Cortina d'Ampezzo; Italy had also hosted the Summer Olympics in 1960 in Rome.
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament held at the 1920 Summer Olympics is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship. From 1920 to 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year.
The 1994 Winter Paralympics, the sixth Paralympic Winter Games, were held in Lillehammer, Norway, from 10 to 19 March 1994. These Games marked the second time the Paralympic Winter Games were held in the same location as the Winter Olympics and with the first with the same Organizing Committee, a tradition that has continued through an agreement of cooperation between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Ice sledge hockey, which became an immediate crowd favorite, was added to the program.
The 1998 Winter Paralympics, the seventh Paralympic Winter Games, were held alongside the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan from 5 to 14 March 1998. They were the first Paralympic Winter Games to be held in Asia. 571 athletes competed in Nagano; as 2022 it remains the highest number of athletes competing at any Winter Paralympics.
The 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, the ninth Paralympic Winter Games, took place in Turin, Italy from 10 to 19 March 2006. These were the first Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Italy. They were also the first Paralympics to use the new Paralympics logo.
The German men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of Germany and is controlled by the German Ice Hockey Federation. It first participated in serious international competition at the 1911 European Hockey Championship. When Germany was split after World War II, a separate East Germany national ice hockey team existed until 1990. By 1991, the West and East German teams and players were merged into the United German team. The team's head coach is Harold Kreis.
Sledge hockey, also known as Sled hockey in American English, and Para ice hockey in international competition, is an adaptation of ice hockey for players who have a physical disability. The sport was invented in the early 1960s at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm, Sweden, and played under similar rules to standard ice hockey. Players are seated on sleds and use special hockey sticks with metal "teeth" on the tips of their handles to navigate the ice. Playing venues use an ice hockey rink.
The 2008 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was the fourth IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships held between March 29, 2008, and April 5, 2008, in Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States, at the New England Sports Center. Organized by Massachusetts Hockey in co-operation with US Paralympics, around 200 athletes from ten countries participated in the 10-team round robin tournament which featured two divisions: six teams in group A and four teams in group B.
The 2004 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was the third IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships held between April 13, 2004 and April 24, 2004 at Kempehallen in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Örnsköldsvik was also the host of the first Paralympic Winter Games in 1976. Participating countries: 104 athletes from eight nations Canada, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Norway, Sweden, United States. The USA, Norway and Sweden were automatically qualified for their performance at the Salt Lake 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, while the other five teams were selected through regional championships.
The 2000 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was the second IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships held between March 20, 2000 and March 25, 2000 at the E Center in West Valley City, Utah, United States.The same place where would host the same sport two years later as the first test event for the Paralympic Winter Games in 2002. Participating countries: Canada, Estonia, Japan, Norway, Sweden and United States.
The first IPC Ice Sledge Hockey European Championships was held between April 10, 2005 and April 16, 2005 in the eastern Moravian city of Zlín, Czech Republic. Participating 80 athletes from six nations: Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden. The best European team joined the already qualified teams from Canada, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the USA and host country Italy to the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.
The 1996 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was the first IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships held in March, 1996 Nynäshamn, Sweden. Participating countries: Canada, Estonia, Japan, Norway, Sweden and United States. Japan made its debut at the World Championship.
The 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was the fifth IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships that took place in early 2009. The competition was divided into two tournaments, with Tournament B held from 15 to 21 March in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and Tournament A held from 9 to 16 May in Ostrava, the Czech Republic. A total of thirteen teams participated; eight in Tournament A and five in Tournament B. The top six teams from Tournament A automatically qualified for the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The remaining two teams from Tournament A and the top two teams from Tournament B will play in the 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Paralympic Qualifier to determine who will take the remaining two Paralympic slots.
Matthew Lloyd is a British Paralympian who was born with spina bifida and two club feet. He has competed in ice sledge hockey at the 2006 Winter Paralympics, in Sitting volleyball at the 2007 European Championships, and is credited with inventing the sport of Inline sledge hockey. He was born in Crawley, Sussex but grew up in Rainhill, Merseyside and later resided in Hollym, East Riding of Yorkshire. After completing a degree in Business Information Systems, Lloyd worked within the music industry, firstly as a journalist and then within the A&R department of a major record label, before going to work extensively within the sports and leisure sectors.
The 2006 IIHF World Championship was held in between 5–21 May 2006 in Riga, Latvia. It was the 70th annual event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The 3rd IPC Ice Sledge Hockey European Championships was held between February 12, 2011, and February 20, 2011, at Niphallen in Sollefteå, Sweden. Participating 130 athletes from ten nations: Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.
Alexi Salamone is a Paralympian ice sledge hockey player from the United States.
The Para Hockey Cup, formerly the World Sledge Hockey Challenge (WSHC) and Canadian Tire Para Ice Hockey Cup is an annual international ice sledge hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada and the IPC Sledge Hockey. The tournament is an invitational format to bring four of the strongest ice sledge hockey teams together for international competition.
The 2015 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships for A-Pool teams was held at HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York, United States, from April 26 through May 3, 2015.
Italy 
Norway 
Udo Segreff (14 goals) 
Jens Kask (10 goals)
